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Message from Jonah

September 24, 2012 @ 10:49 am (Updated: 9:00 am - 10/10/12 )

On September 26th, Jewish communities around the world will observe Yom Kippur - the Day of Atonement -seeking God's forgiveness for our shortcomings in the year just passed.

The afternoon liturgy for this solemn day of fasting and prayer features the Book of Jonah - telling of the prophet who tried to escape from his assigned mission, but was redeemed by God even from the belly of a great fish.

Most significantly, Jonah's ultimate warning to Nineveh led the people of that wicked city to repent, to fast, to cry out to the Lord and, according to the Bible, to "turn from their evil ways." The forgiveness granted to non-Jewish Nineveh is meant to encourage us to use the same means - fasting, prayer, repentance and a correction in our behavior - to achieve atonement and a renewed connection to the Almighty.

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  • messiah101 wrote...
    Why is it that people actually believe this pure fiction
    September 24, 2012 11:50 am
    That was more then likely written after several sticks of hash were passed around. Jonah in the Belly of a whale my butt
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  • ron prevost wrote...
    Messiah - do you ever read?
    September 24, 2012 9:00 pm
    In the days of whaling, there were at least a dozen cases of hunters being swallowed by sperm whales and then recovered (quite often alive, but with acid bleached skin) once the whale was killed.

    The physical reality aside the tale may be a parody. .. But, then, nothing is impossible for the Lord.

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  • Honus wrote...
    I defy you to document -ONE-...
    September 24, 2012 10:15 pm
    ...with a survivor. Beaing eaten by a sea-creature is no big deal...he has to live to tell the tale. With so many cases, this should be an easy task. The real scooop is this: Christians have been spreading the James Bartley story (there's a head start for your research) for years. It's been shown to be nonsense, most notably by "An Evangelical Christian scholar of Science and History", Edward B. Davis. (His article can be found online...there's more help for you.) I think we both can agree that you have no interest in supporting your religion with false claims; So, bearing that in mind, I believe that it's now incumbent upon you to either prove your statement, or quit spreading it from this day forth. In other words if you can't back it up, quit lying for Jesus. I'm betting that you'll continue spreading it.
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  • ron prevost wrote...
    Honus, that's one whale of a leap from Jonah to Jesus.
    September 25, 2012 5:10 am
    First off, the Bartley story is only a widely circulated tale, but of a known real person. There have been others, but you might ascribe them to sea lore.

    James Bartley (reportedly) was not especially religious - before or after. He would probably not have appreciated being used by evangelists.

    The story of Jonah was set at least several hundred years before Jesus, so I can't make a leap to 'lying for Jesus'. Lying for Moses, perhaps?

    Finally, I had no idea that anyone in this day and age would be so concerned with if a 19th century seaman was telling the truth or just spinning a tale. ... But while you're at it, Honus, can you give us your take on Lot's wife ?

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  • messiah101 wrote...
    ron p
    September 26, 2012 1:09 pm
    First of All I never heard of sperm whales in the Med.And I believe that NO person would survive being eaten by a whale.Hey Mariners are some of the BIGGEST tellers of tall tales,sea monsters,mermaids??Remember Jonah supposedly LIVED 3 days in the whale.Now they most of been doing some heavy drugs to believe that baloney
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  • ron prevost wrote...
    You ARE getting worse than lawnboy.
    September 27, 2012 7:51 am
    Believe what you want.

    The Bartley story is relatively documented (for the 19th century - heck, a lot of stuff we KNOW about the Civil War may not be true). .... And most stories from antiquity - no matter if you call them myth or whatever - do have at least a grain of truth. The Jonah story may be an exageration to make its Biblical point, but...........

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  • mobeta wrote...
    The documentary movie 2016 much in Obamama's own words from his book "Dreams From My Father" narrative where Obama came from and how he was shaped as a young boy! Very balanced documentary! Not left or right!
    September 24, 2012 12:01 pm
    The documentary movie 2016 much in Obamama's own words from his book "Dreams From My Father" narrative where Obama came from and how he was shaped as a young boy by radical Marxist, communist collectivism mentors on Fox News this Sunday in Obamama's own words and what he is doing to this country and how he is systematically destroying America and giving away our wealth that he thinks we took from the world to build the best country by far ever in the history of mankind! Something is brewing in the middle east and it shows it how it is happening and how it will take over the middle east and Obamama is part of this take over!
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  • mobeta wrote...
    2016 movie Fox cahnnel on Sunday night!
    September 24, 2012 12:02 pm
    The documentary movie 2016 much in Obamama's own words from his book "Dreams From My Father" narrative where Obama came from and how he was shaped as a young boy by radical Marxist, communist collectivism mentors on Fox News this Sunday in Obamama's own words and what he is doing to this country and how he is systematically destroying America and giving away our wealth that he thinks we took from the world to build the best country by far ever in the history of mankind! Something is brewing in the middle east and it shows it how it is happening and how it will take over the middle east and Obamama is part of this take over!
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  • cigarfan wrote...
    Wickedness of the Occupation
    September 24, 2012 1:37 pm
    Let's hope PM Netanyahu figures out that HaShem will never bless Israel as long as they keep the Gaza strip under Siege and the West Bank, East Jerusalem under military occupation. Never have I seen such immoral and wicked behavior as the "Israeli Settlers/soldiers" in Hebron and their treatment of the Palestinian people living there.
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  • maplefish wrote...
    Cigarfan
    September 24, 2012 6:45 pm
    Ummm, you do know that ISRAEL has won several battles for that small piece of land on this planet, right? You also know that none of the other surrounding countries want the Palestinians in Their countries, right? Do a little research into the hatred and the wars between those people and maybe you'll have a different perspective on the whole thing. What exactly do you propose the people of Israel do? Wicked is what the rest of that region and the Muslims have been to the Jews. 5000 years is a long time to hold a friggin grudge.
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  • ron prevost wrote...
    Here IS where we (mostly) agree, cigar guy.
    September 24, 2012 9:09 pm
    Apartheid was worse, but that's not saying much. Michael claims to love God and follow His Words. But the treatment of the Palestinians deems much more from hatred then from respect or even fear.

    And ultimately hate harms the hater much more than the hated.

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  • FormerMarineSgt wrote...
    Wow. Anyone who quotes ANYTHING from the conservative's attack job 'movie'...
    September 24, 2012 1:00 pm
    Wow. that movie is about as honest as the winner of the 'best lie of the year' award at a liars convention! it's the worst collection of mis-truths distortions and outright lies that it even beat Gore's inconvenient truth for outright pathetic distortions!
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  • maplefish wrote...
    Yo Sarg Blumenthal...
    September 24, 2012 6:22 pm
    Have you seen it? It's not the smear job you would think. It just goes back though his life and talks about how he didn't know his father, so he had other father figures that ended up being radical extremist communists, anarchists & Jew haters... You should watch it, maybe then you'll understand why Barry is such a miserable FAILURE! He hates white people. Hates successful people and pretty much hates Capitalism and everything that America stands for. So the move breaks it down and let's Obama act it out for all to see..., before you make your commentary, you might want to see the movie. But like a typical Liberal, you'll just talk out of your A S S without any facts.
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  • FormerMarineSgt wrote...
    @maplefish
    September 25, 2012 5:43 am
    Your own words show your own extreme biases against Obama.... And I'm so glad that you have to drop insults to make your point. It makes your point ever so eloquent and invalid.
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  • cigarfan wrote...
    Jewish Democrats warn Netanyahu to stay out of US presidential election
    September 24, 2012 5:00 pm
    http://thehill.com/blogs/defcon-hill/policy-and-strategy/251031-jewish-dems-warn-netanyahu-to-butt-out-of-us-election
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  • PaperMachete wrote...
    Why can't there be
    September 24, 2012 6:26 pm
    one topic on mynorthwest.com that doesn't turn into a partisan political argument? Mr. Medved's post had nothing to do with Obama or politics, but the regular posters of this site can't help but get their shots in no matter what. It is sickening from both sides of the aisle, and the reason I can't take posters like messiah101, AJ, Bill Law, Drool, or SeattleD seriously. Mr. Medved was writing a post about an important holiday for his religion, and everyone turned it into a partisan hatefest.
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  • messiah101 wrote...
    PaperMachete
    September 26, 2012 1:23 pm
    Medved is political about EVERYTHING.This post was for AIPAC
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  • It's me! Ha ha! wrote...
    Jewish Democrats warn Netanyahu to stay out of US presidential election
    September 24, 2012 6:29 pm
    Ha ha! Jewish Democrats know that Obama will lose so in order to keep the Dear Leader in power in our government, they are trying to get the Jewish PM to not take sides. TOO LATE!
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  • It's me! Ha ha! wrote...
    W.
    September 24, 2012 6:32 pm
    That movie that was made about President Bush was a pack of lies. Unlike 2016 which is the true about this regime and it's Dear Leader Obama!
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  • maplefish wrote...
    Way do YOU give a rip?
    September 24, 2012 6:39 pm
    Does it really affect you M101? It's kinda like your argument FOR gay marriage. You lash out the exact same way at people who are against gay marriage. You just made my argument that TOLERANCE is a ONE WAY STREET for LIBERALS like yourself. Democrats: constantly striving for a new level of HYPOCRISY
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  • maplefish wrote...
    M101
    September 24, 2012 6:56 pm
    I mean " why" do you give a rip? Does it really affect your life? You seem to want everyone to agree with your point f view and yet have no tolerance for anyone that disagrees with you. On anything....
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  • messiah101 wrote...
    FISH
    September 26, 2012 1:31 pm
    I am tolerant of anyone who has a sensible argument for their position.But guys like you,haha and AJ The Righty Welfare Queen and Billy Boy are just plain run of the mill idiots who open themselves to others dragging them through the mud because your stupid ,ignorant people who seem to HATE America and attempt to divide this country wider by your LIES. Did I make myself clear?Start presenting a factual argument and I respect you.But the BS you guys attempt to throw is DISRESPECTFUL to anyone with half a brain.
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  • GloScot wrote...
    The Point, people!
    September 25, 2012 7:45 am
    The point of the story of Jonah was God's love for people, regardless of how wicked they were. He extended his love to the people of Nineveh and they repented, despite Jonah's desire to see them burn. Some of you argue about the possibility of a fish swallowing a guy. You missed the point. Jesus also referred to the story as a sign that he would die and rise again (Matthew 12). Some of you, like the Pharisees, would demand Jesus perform a miracle and then criticize the way he did it.
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  • Chuck Gould wrote...
    Didn't his siblings go on to found a pop group?
    September 25, 2012 2:47 pm
    The Jonah's Brothers?

    Er, maybe not.

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  • Chuck Gould wrote...
    God didn't rescue Jonah from the belly of a whale...
    September 25, 2012 2:57 pm
    he rescued Jonah *with* the belly of a whale. Once the storm arose, the crew of the boat began trying to figure out whose fault it was...(hey, there's a good tie in with all the political bickering in this thread). They decided it was Jonah's fault, and threw him overboard.

    In the literal story, Jonah was swallowed by a great and powerful sea mammal. With a little midrash, maybe Jonah was merely consumed by a force much larger than himself (on sea or on land) that had the capacity to destroy him.

    God used the monster, either real or metaphorical, to save Jonah. By emerging alive from the monster Jonah was then an improved person more willing to follow God's plan.

    That's fairly consistent with the nature of the Kingdom of God as revealed in the Old and New Testaments and other sacred literature of the era. That which should destroy a person (such as the obvious example of a crucifixion)often, when survived by faith, winds up empowering them.

    It's amusing to see the reactions from people who want to pooh-pooh the Jonah story. These same folks usually howl with laughter when a believer "takes the Bible literally", but they rush to take it just as literally whenever doing so will make Judaism or Christianity look ridiculous.

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  • Cigarillo wrote...
    Well said, Chuckles.
    September 25, 2012 4:54 pm
    The tragedy here is, one had to wade through 34 posts of irrelevant drivel to get back on track.
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  • messiah101 wrote...
    AJ The Righty Welfare Queen and Haha and maplefish
    September 26, 2012 1:35 pm
    Were all swallowed by a Sasquatch but GOD decided to teach them a lesson before "saving them"unfortunately God waited to long and they ended up as brown piles on the forest floor
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